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Prayer

Understanding God’s Plan And The Opening / Closing of Doors

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Something in one of the areas of my life I’m praying for took an unexpected turn that really hit me hard.
When I prayed about this God gave me 3 specific thoughts:
1) Trust God’s plan when you are not given the outcome you are expecting. God in fact may be sparing you from something that would be more than you could handle
1 Corinthians 10:13 “There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.”
2) Know that when God does open a door for you that you should feel peace and contentment in your spirit about the decision to move forward
John 16:13 “Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.”
3) Know that when God opens the door that is His will for your life that no force, spirit or being can stand in the way of it
Revelation 3:8 “I know thy works: behold, I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it: for thou hast a little strength, and hast kept my word, and hast not denied my name.”

Pray, Worship and Surrender

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2 Chronicles 20:5-9,12-15

5 And Jehoshaphat stood in the congregation of Judah and Jerusalem, in the house of the Lord, before the new court,

6 And said, O Lord God of our fathers, art not thou God in heaven? and rulest not thou over all the kingdoms of the heathen? and in thine hand is there not power and might, so that none is able to withstand thee?

7 Art not thou our God, who didst drive out the inhabitants of this land before thy people Israel, and gavest it to the seed of Abraham thy friend for ever?

8 And they dwelt therein, and have built thee a sanctuary therein for thy name, saying,

9 If, when evil cometh upon us, as the sword, judgment, or pestilence, or famine, we stand before this house, and in thy presence, (for thy name is in this house,) and cry unto thee in our affliction, then thou wilt hear and help.

12 O our God, wilt thou not judge them? for we have no might against this great company that cometh against us; neither know we what to do: but our eyes are upon thee.

13 And all Judah stood before the Lord, with their little ones, their wives, and their children.

14 Then upon Jahaziel the son of Zechariah, the son of Benaiah, the son of Jeiel, the son of Mattaniah, a Levite of the sons of Asaph, came the Spirit of the Lord in the midst of the congregation;

15 And he said, Hearken ye, all Judah, and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem, and thou king Jehoshaphat, Thus saith the Lord unto you, Be not afraid nor dismayed by reason of this great multitude; for the battle is not yours, but God’s.

1) Jehoshaphat praises, confesses and declares that God is omnipotent over all and no one can stand against his power or in the way of his will.

2) He praises God for his faithfulness (his track record) to his people in the past and in the present.

3) He confessed that there was nothing they could do in and of themselves to change the situation. And by this they were totally surrendered to God for his help, mercy and deliverance.

The next thing that happened is when God spoke back.

  • If you go to God in prayer with a sincere heart he WILL respond
  • God has a word for you and your situation
  • Many times the Holy Spirit shows up after God’s people come before him to worship and confess their dependency on him.

Always remember when we confess our faults and ask for forgiveness then we get to a place where we can worship. When we can worship we produce humbleness in our heart and open up our spirit man/woman. And when we are humble in our heart we can then surrender to God and listen for his response in our lives!

Are You Overextended? Five Powerful Thoughts To Simplify Your Situation

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over-extended

I love illustrations because sometimes it helps to explain feelings that do not always have good adjectives to represent them. Is your life defined by all you get done at work? Are you not getting enough done at home? Do people pressure you into doing more because they have unreasonable expectations or want someone to do it for them? Have you or do you deal with people that always seem to put more on you than what is reasonable? Do some situations that people put you in make you want to scream?!?

I guess what I am really asking is, do you feel overextended? Overextend in its meaning towards people means that you impose on (someone) an excessive burden of work or commitments. In reference to objects or ideals it means to make too long. If you really took a minute to look inside of your personal life you will find that in a lot (or maybe even) of the things you do is WAY more than one can accomplish in one day. We only get 24 hours in a day and at least 6 are for rest, all the while we have to work, run errands, do hobbies, put out drama fires, handle emergencies, etc. When the list piles up in your mind it almost makes every day like it’s the worst day to come.

To be honest I have been overextended in many things during the past 8 years. Let’s just hash some personal examples: working 40-50 hours a week, working out 5 times a week, commuting to work two hours for five days a week, preaching full-time, teaching music, attending music practice, working in outside ministry…wait a second…I have not even mentioned anything to do with family, friends, or my brothers & sisters in Christ!  Can you see where it would be easy to lose yourself in being overextended? This was also leaving a huge gap in my intimate adoration and worship to God. I’m happy to say that God has been working on me for the good and I’m reaching out to those who feel the same way to share with you how God has been teaching me to flip the script on busy living and to learn and take a deep breath (and that it’s okay).

Here are five thoughts God has inspired me to share with you:

1) If we have something that MUST be done, God will help you see it through

1 Corinthians 10:13 “There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.”

James 1:12 “Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him.”

Deadlines do not just disappear when we want them to. Having to deal with difficult situations do not just leave from our to-do list. To deal with these realities we must pray that God strengthen us for the hour that we will need it (and ultimately is harder than we can handle on our own). Seek God for continual peace through your difficult time and by His spirit you will never feel alone. If you allow God the chance to be there for you the joy you will feel when you come out of it will be as if you were royalty; undeserving of the happiness yet through God’s love its promised to you. That makes me smile.

2) To reduce over-extension we must learn to pray before we simply commit to more

One of the best methods to keep a person from being over-extended is to stop it before it ever occurs via prevention. How do we reduce the chances? Prayer is a very good starting place.

Proverbs 8:17  “I love them that love me; and those that seek me early shall find me.”

Deuteronomy 4:29-31 “But if from thence thou shalt seek the LORD thy God, thou shalt find him, if thou seek him with all thy heart and with all thy soul. When thou art in tribulation, and all these things are come upon thee, even in the latter days, if thou turn to the LORD thy God, and shalt be obedient unto his voice; (For the LORD thy God is a merciful God;) he will not forsake thee, neither destroy thee, nor forget the covenant of thy fathers which he sware unto them.”

This passage not only references starting your day out with seeking God but for those who will allow God the chance to lead them even before a commitment. And once you have been showed by God what can be reduced then simply walk through the door and not worry over it any longer. The lighter we walk the more we embrace the burdens’ that God makes to be lighter!

3) People will only know your limits when you communicate them

Colossians 4:6 “Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person.”

Romans 15: 1 “We then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves.”

“seasoned with salt” is a nice way to refer to the fact that we must communicate and handle situations with God’s widsom. By the wisdom of God we learn to know our boundaries and can be shown how to communicate the fact that we simply do not have the time or the strength to add more unto what is going on in the present. Until people hear from you and can understand that you are going through things then there is no one else at fault for this but you. Once you have spoken your boundaries it is then you give people the opportunity to help you bear the load and not continue to put more demands upon you. In fact if we live according to the word at that point those that are strong should change from their demands and begin to help you with your needs.

4) Don’t worry about what people think about you. You can only do so much with your commitments.

Psalm 118:5-6 “I called upon the Lord in distress: the Lord answered me, and set me in a large place. The Lord is on my side; I will not fear: what can man do unto me?”

Philippians 2:3-4 “Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others.”

The kind of peace that helps you to stop thinking or worrying over the opinions of others only comes by the peace of God. Seek for it that your load may be lighter and that your desire become more aligned with pleasing God with how you live and the good you do with what you’ve got.

5) If you center your life to righteousness you can drop all the things that are “busy attacks” on your focus

Proverbs 23:4 “Do not toil to acquire wealth; be discerning enough to desist”

Psalm 37:5 “Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him, and he will act.”

Ecclesiastes 3:1-22 “For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven: a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted; a time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;”

If the first priority in your life is God then I can assure you that the things you desire will begin to be aligned to his will. And as this happens you can see the things that come as opportunities as opposed to the things to shun that would just keep you busy all the time. God wants your life to be fruitful without your entire life being centered on making it happen by yourself. You even read in Luke 10:38-42 about Martha who was told by Christ that you are “anxious and trouble about many things but one is necessary”. What was that necessary? It was what Jesus called the “good portion”. There is a way of right-living before God that will reduce all the over-extending and allow you the opportunities to slow down and enjoy the moments that are right in front of you!

So just remember that at the end of the day there needs to be a season for all things, however you must yield to the seasons and not push beyond your means and max limits. Learning to allow God to give you strength when you need it and guidance when you have it creates a more balanced lifestyle. This balance can help you to be a better help to others and will help you realize what you can do with the time that would have been otherwise squandered by the enemy.

Victory Begins With Thankfulness

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Luke 18:9-14

[9] And he spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others:
[10] Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican.
[11] The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican.
[12] I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess.
[13] And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner.
[14] I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.

The Pharisee was unaware of his greatest need. He started with thanks but it was the wrong kind. He was not thanking God for what grace had done for him, but for what he had done. This is the wrong attitude to possess! It was a “prayerless” prayer: he had said a prayer but did not pray any. Prayers centered on our efforts will be about what we have done and not done. You see, he needed something human effort could not get. The Pharisee was unconcerned about the publican. The difference filled him with pride and not compassion. True thanksgiving produces thankful living.

Ask ourselves, are we thankful for?

  • Love
  • Mercy
  • Compassion
  • Peace
  • Faithfulness
  • Patience
  • Kindness
  • Benevolence
  • Blessings
  • Longsuffering
  • Joy
  • Perseverance
  • Persistence
  • Boldness
  • Gladness
  • Willingness
  • Eagerness
  • Leadership
  • Salvation
  • Blood of Jesus
  • Baptism
  • Forgiveness
  • New Home In Heaven and Gone From hell
  • Life Eternal
  • Our soul will never die!

True thanksgiving changes us. Even though the Pharisee was at a good place (temple) and went with good intentions (to pray) he went out unchanged and not justified by faith. Millions of people go out unchanged from church. Strive to not make the same mistake!

Let us learn to walk as this publican. He went home forgiven and could then be truly thankful!

Check It Out: Jared Performing Baptism Service With 13th Street

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Here are a couple clips of a baptism that I performed with Gary Gulley for a couple members of 13th Street Church. It was truly a pleasure being a part of it.

This is what it is truly about! Enjoy!

Part 1 – Introduction & Cassidy

Part 2 – Darick & Exit Message

Video Recording Courtesy of Brian Davis

Believe And Receive

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Mark 11:22-26

[22] And Jesus answering saith unto them, Have faith in God.
[23] For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith.
[24] Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.
[25] And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.
[26] But if ye do not forgive, neither will your Father which is in heaven forgive your trespasses.

God never intended for praise to replace prayer. It will be impossible to release sincere praise if you do not have a relationship with God. We have our own desires but yet are numb to the desires in the Lord. You must have a passion for the things God has set aside for you, but of course this passion hurts (for it goes against our own desires).

Believe that you have already received it in the spiritual before you receive it in the natural. If you have to force yourself to believe it, you may not be desiring the right thing. If it is not in you then it will not happen according to God’s plan for you.

1 Corinthians 2:7-10

[7] But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory:
[8] Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.
[9] But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.
[10] But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.

The word of God is not confined by scripture; for when God speaks to your spirit, then you will receive it. Carnal Christians respond to flesh over spirit. They make decisions and operate through the senses. What God will provide will defy the senses and will not make sense to what you may have perceived to be the right thing for your life. The Holy Ghost is a search engine, examining the deep things of God and reveals the things that are for us! We must always learn to remember to birth things out of our spirit as receive them through faith and not just by the emotions of the circumstance (for this is flesh).

Hebrews 11:1-10

[1] Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
[2] For by it the elders obtained a good report.
[3] Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear.
[4] By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts: and by it he being dead yet speaketh.
[5] By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him: for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God.
[6] But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.
[7] By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith.
[8] By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went.
[9] By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise:
[10] For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God.

What we have in our spirits must make us look odd to other people who do not possess the same passion and faith. When God says it’s yours, believe and receive!

Sometimes You Have To Lose To Win The Bigger Prize

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When I think about all of the times that I have ever felt defeated in my life there was something within me that I could not realize at the time. Day by day after the bad times I felt so awful, longing to go back and change what had happened, making the statements like “I should have never went to begin with” or “Why do I even bother”.

Ultimately when we get stuck on the whys and whats of a problem we tend to lose the confidence that we possess within ourselves to succeed. In his walk on earth Jesus opened up something that totally went against the grain of our discouragement from not seeing or getting what we expect. Jesus began to teach with references to moving mountains speaking to peoples lack of faith from discouragement of not seeing it and boldly stated that through faith renewed in hope that you could ask and receive.

Matthew 17:20

[20] And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you.

Matthew 21:21-22

[21] Jesus answered and said unto them, Verily I say unto you, If ye have faith, and doubt not, ye shall not only do this which is done to the fig tree, but also if ye shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; it shall be done.
[22] And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.

The bigger picture is even when you lose through hope you can still have the bigger prize. Even when I do not see the blessing with hope within I still have strength to believe in faith regardless of the conditions of the situation. This can be seen in its simplest form when you see amazing people fighting cancer within their body yet they still have the mind power of a perfectly healthy human being. The power of hope renews the hope of faith. And with faith comes the renewing of the mind. And with a renewed mind comes the sanctification of the body through temperance (self-control) to not only keep you at peace but to be disciplined to continue and believe based on what you have knew of God to have done for you in the past!

So you know what? I will gladly take a loss in this life to hope and realize the strength of the spirit and long for Heaven’s gain! As I have said many times in the past, I strive for the mark, the prize of the high calling of God. Do we know what that prize really is? It is faith through hope and belief in Jesus Christ! When you reach the prize you win the race!

 

 

 

Preparation And Prayer Will Bring Conviction

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One of the toughest things for Christians to be able to do successfully is to persevere in their continual seeking on behalf of those around them. What I am writing to you today are some awesome nuggets that you can read from the spirit of the text we will begin with below:

Daniel 6: 7-24

[7] All the presidents of the kingdom, the governors, and the princes, the counsellers, and the captains, have consulted together to establish a royal statute, and to make a firm decree, that whosoever shall ask a petition of any God or man for thirty days, save of thee, O king, he shall be cast into the den of lions.
[8] Now, O king, establish the decree, and sign the writing, that it be not changed, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which altereth not.
[9] Wherefore king Darius signed the writing and the decree.
[10] Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went into his house; and his windows being open in his chamber toward Jerusalem, he kneeled upon his knees three times a day, and prayed, and gave thanks before his God, as he did aforetime.
[11] Then these men assembled, and found Daniel praying and making supplication before his God.
[12] Then they came near, and spake before the king concerning the king’s decree; Hast thou not signed a decree, that every man that shall ask a petition of any God or man within thirty days, save of thee, O king, shall be cast into the den of lions? The king answered and said, The thing is true, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which altereth not.
[13] Then answered they and said before the king, That Daniel, which is of the children of the captivity of Judah, regardeth not thee, O king, nor the decree that thou hast signed, but maketh his petition three times a day.
[14] Then the king, when he heard these words, was sore displeased with himself, and set his heart on Daniel to deliver him: and he laboured till the going down of the sun to deliver him.
[15] Then these men assembled unto the king, and said unto the king, Know, O king, that the law of the Medes and Persians is, That no decree nor statute which the king establisheth may be changed.
[16] Then the king commanded, and they brought Daniel, and cast him into the den of lions. Now the king spake and said unto Daniel, Thy God whom thou servest continually, he will deliver thee.
[17] And a stone was brought and laid upon the mouth of the den; and the king sealed it with his own signet, and with the signet of his lords; that the purpose might not be changed concerning Daniel.
[18] Then the king went to his palace, and passed the night fasting: neither were instruments of musick brought before him: and his sleep went from him.
[19] Then the king arose very early in the morning, and went in haste unto the den of lions.
[20] And when he came to the den, he cried with a lamentable voice unto Daniel: and the king spake and said to Daniel, O Daniel, servant of the living God, is thy God, whom thou servest continually, able to deliver thee from the lions?
[21] Then said Daniel unto the king, O king, live for ever.
[22] My God hath sent his angel, and hath shut the lions’ mouths, that they have not hurt me: forasmuch as before him innocency was found in me; and also before thee, O king, have I done no hurt.
[23] Then was the king exceeding glad for him, and commanded that they should take Daniel up out of the den. So Daniel was taken up out of the den, and no manner of hurt was found upon him, because he believed in his God.
[24] And the king commanded, and they brought those men which had accused Daniel, and they cast them into the den of lions, them, their children, and their wives; and the lions had the mastery of them, and brake all their bones in pieces or ever they came at the bottom of the den.

In verse seven the enemy decided to take advantage of the Kings weakness and leverage him, using the only plot that would convict Daniel. Take notice here that Daniel’s enemies were not those who we would have expected here (someone acting in a sinful nature for their own gain). You see the enemy that Daniel was dealing with was worse than that; this kind of enemy was sitting in high places and had no control or favor with God. And as we should be very keen to, we cannot ever find ourselves comfortable in a crowd of those we are close to. It is nice to have those we can trust, but God must be above all others! Verse ten opens up the preparation for consequences and totally defiled the enemies intent and creed. If there is nothing else you read, read this part: The first thing we should do in any matter of major/minor significance is to seek the face of God! And yes, seeking God can be done even when knowing that the enemy is intentionally coming against you!

The king’s weakness to peer pressure (and losing his throne) is revealed in verse 15, and as we read it should become clear to us today that sin is revealed in our own lives when God deals with our hearts to commit to Christ. Through the passages of verses 17-23 you can begin to see the represented conviction and restlessness that the king began to face. Conviction will come when we come against God or resist the drawing of our heart for an encounter with Him. Even after the victory and protection that Daniel received God dealt with the enemy for the ill-willed intentions that tried to bring down one walking in God’s will. The enemy cannot run when God is proven, sin cannot stay where the spirit delivers!

Do You See The Web? Take A Double Take!

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When you look at the picture at first glance it is not obvious that a trap has been set. Such as the same way with our adversaries of life, right? And as some insect is flying by with no regard to caution they become stuck followed by being destroyed. This visual example is easy and is easily laughed about but is ever so true when it comes to being more aware of your spiritual environment. As we walk on with God it is ever so important to always remember to watch and pray, or what I like to call the double take. You see, just attempting to watch something may not reveal its true intention at first. That is where prayer comes in! Praying brings our spiritual being to the forefront, causing our focus to be on things we may have not seen at first or even things we neglected to even see at all. The bible speaks to this sort of awareness in a passage that says in short that “a person who walks in the light will not stumble”.

To be in the light is to come clean in your life before God, and to use your light in this case is to examine the environment of things that may try to harm you! Please be aware of the enemy’s tactics and traps by living clean (walk in the light) and giving a double take to what’s around you (watch and pray to battle temptation). By doing so you will avoid being so easily swayed and discourage when we are in our appointed tests! So in conclusion, you may not see the traps but God can lead you to not fall in them by being nigh unto prayer and letting the spirit lead you!

What To Do When Everyone Stops Listening? Pray! God Hears!

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There is a specific phase of life that we all go through at some point; for this specific case I will call it the “no one listens to me” phase. I have been in this place before and have some thoughts I would like to share in relevance to this topic.

You may be one out there that cannot get anyone to hear you out when you are attempting to actively convey your feelings. Not only do you feel like your words fall on deaf ears but what was heard is heard is often misunderstood. Others out there may be looking for someone to volunteer to listen (like a friend or family member) but they are too busy or are never available for devoting attention. In this type of behavior people without being aware will begin to prolong their troubles, having no place to deal with the issues, resulting in an attempt to bottle everything up inside. This is not only a cut off an outlet for expression but oftentimes leads to a decline in joy, peace and rest.

There have been other moments in life where people would talk to me about getting upset that no one else asks about their well-being (especially in hard times) and how it would cause them to value their friendship/kinship to them. I have asked back before, “well, have you tried asking first” but am often cut off with “they should ask me first!” Needless to say its amazing at the type of behavior that can not only produce a lack of care but a receive-only attitude.

It would be impossible for me to list every scenario, but what is important is that in some way we all arrive to a feeling or notion that we are alone and not heard. I write this to you today for you to be made aware of one of the most vulnerable and used moments that the enemy takes advantage of you to draw you from God.

So the question is, What to do when everyone stops listening? Pray of course!

I am confident in these words: God hears you when you pray! By Christ’s sacrifice for our sins we can and do have access for asking on behalf of our troubles! What a wonderful pleasure that is found when you talk to God! Surrender your heart to the Lord and begin to communicate in prayer and this will be the beginning of change through faith and obedience. Trust me, when you feel the power of the comfort of God you will begin to understand that you do not need anyone to understand other than God. This will not only comfort you but will allow you to be the leader to someone else to help them deal with their cares of life.

I also want to add this: Being social is not the same as being concerned. Being social will not involve additional effort other than that which promotes the popularity of an individual. Being concerned does not care about social status or popularity and allows a venue to demonstrate the love of God towards another person.